Befriend the lunch hour while you’re working from home!

How do you spend your lunch hour? Eyes glued to the screen, one hand tapping away on the keyboard, occasionally gulping down food with the other hand? When boundaries between real and virtual are getting blurred as most of us continue to WFH, it is quite tempting to power through your lunch hour sitting at your desk, catching up on unread emails, watching a webinar or just mindlessly scrolling on your phone till the 10-min oh-so-rushed lunch break is over. Sigh!

With the disappearance of water cooler conversations and occasional tea/coffee breaks in the new normal, a lunch hour is probably the only breather you might have on days where your mind and the to-do list is teeming with tasks! A strategic lunch can help you recharge and refuel your energy levels as you gear up for the latter half of the day. How? Read on.

• First and foremost, step away from your desk. A change of set up can help clear your head, declutter your mind, and stop you from obsessing over pending emails.  
• Sit down with your lunch and enjoy what you’re eating without gulping it down breathlessly. Your productivity often makes way through your stomach into your head. If you have an extra half-hour, whip up a quick, healthy meal in the kitchen.
• Get some air after you’re done eating. Step out into the balcony or stand close to a window. A quick walk around the block can also help amp up your energy quotient.
• Check in with other people who’re living in the same house, or even virtually over a quick call. You can count this as an equivalent to missed sessions by the water cooler in the  office
• A quick workout session during your lunch hour may be a larger ask, but if you can fit it in your schedule there’s nothing like it. A quick run on the treadmill, a couple of stretches can help kill muscle fatigue and that neck ache that’s been bothering you for a while.

By lunch, you’re halfway through your day, and a relaxed lunch hour only helps you reassess where you are, align your thoughts and get back to work with renewed vigour. However, the trick here is to not take too long or too short a break and rather make the most out of your allotted lunch break timing. With the right focus on not just what you consume but how you do it, your body will only thank you for the care & attention you shower on it.  Holds true while taking the right care of your skin as well!